``Pokemon exploded on the scene nearly five years ago as a video game with the Game Boy hand-held video system as the foundation of this phenomenon,'' said Richard Taylor, vice president of USA marketing for Burger King Corporation. ``Our promotion capitalizes on the recent introduction of the much-anticipated Pokemon Gold and Silver game by offering our customers Mini Game Boy toys combined with our great-tasting food.''

The Burger King Mini Game Boy� Collectibles are four-inch hand-held toys that come with a removable gold or silver cartridge featuring one of 100 different new Pokemon Gold and Silver characters. They also have a compartment in the back that holds a collectible Pokemon™ Gold and Silver character. Each toy has different play functions that include talking, light-up, spinning, ``magic'' motions, and a pinball-like pachinko game.

``With more than four million copies sold to date, Pokemon Gold and Silver for Game Boy Color are the hottest games in town, breaking all previous video game sales records,'' said Peter Main, executive vice president, sales and marketing for Nintendo. ``As the cornerstone of our fourth promotion with Burger King, the Pokemon Mini Game Boys will be the must-have collectibles this holiday season.''

The promotion will be supported with in-restaurant merchandising as well as adult and kid-targeted national advertising. The two: 15 spots were created by Lowe, Lintas and Partners and will begin airing on Sunday, December 10. Additionally, Burger King Corporation's website, www.burgerking.com , will offer several new Pokemon-related interactive activities and a special Mini Game Boy Collectibles Collector's Book available on the website. Pokemon fans can use this book to keep a record of each Mini Game Boy� toy that has been collected.

Burger King Corporation is HOME OF THE WHOPPER�. The Company and its franchisees operate more than 11,270 restaurants in all 50 states and 57 countries and international territories around the world, with more than 92% of BURGER KING� restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees. Since the company's founding in Miami in 1954, the BURGER KING� brand has become recognized for great flame-broiled taste and HAVE IT YOUR WAY� food customization. In fiscal year 2000, the BURGER KING� system has system-wide sales of $11.4 billion. Burger King Corporation is a part of Diageo, the international food and drinks company, that includes such brands as Pillsbury, Haagen Dazs, and Guinness. To learn more about the BURGER KING� system, please visit the company's website at www.burgerking.com .

Nintendo originally launched Pokemon in Japan for the world's best-selling Game Boy video game system and watched the original 151 creatures evolve into a cultural phenomenon. The franchise arrived in North America in September 1998 with the release of the Pokemon Blue and Red Game Boy games and has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. Nintendo of America Inc. and its licensing agency, Leisure Concepts, Inc., division of 4Kids Entertainment, have licensed the franchise to more than 150 companies whose products entertain millions of fans all over the Western Hemisphere.

Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, is the acknowledged worldwide leader in the creation of interactive entertainment. To date, Nintendo has sold more than one billion video games worldwide, has created such industry icons as Mario and Donkey Kong and launched franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Pokemon™. Nintendo manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home video game systems, including the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy -- the world's best selling video game system. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America, Inc., based in Redmond, Washington, serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in North America.

For more information about Pokemon™ or other Nintendo products, visit the company's website at www.nintendo.com or the official Pokemon™ site, www.pokemon.com .

SOURCE: Burger King Corporation

[Posted 12/08/2000]